Automobile hood latching structure



June Z4, 1941. E. b. DALL AUTOMOBILE HOOD LATCHING STRUCTURE Fnednem 1'2, 1940 :s sheets-sheen June24, 1941. vE D, DALL 2,246,794

AUTOKOBLE HOOD LATCHING STRUCTURE Filed Dec.'12, 1940I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 u: of N 22 ZVEI-"12ml June 24, 1941.

E. D. DALL AUTOMOBILE HOOD LATCHING STRUCTURE Filed Dee. 12, 1940 s sheets-snaai s Nmm Patented June 24, 194.14

AUTOMOBILE HOOD LATCHING STRUCTURE Edward D. Dall, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Houd'aille-'Hershey Corporation, Detroit", Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application December 12, 1940, Serial No. 369,779

6 Claims.

This invention relates to automobile hood latching means adapted particularly for the latching control of hoods of the so-called Alligator type, which are hinged' at their rear and along a hinge line extending transversely of the vehicle. Hoods of this type usuallyfcomprise a main latching mechanism controllable from inside the vehicle for effecting unlatching of the coverA and a partial raising thereof, and additional latching means in the form of safety catch structure vfor preventing further opening 'movement of the cover or for limiting further opening movement of the cover after such partial opening thereof until certain operations are performed for releasing the-cover for swing to its full open position. In my copending application Serial No. 364,782, filed November 8, 1940, latching'assembly is `disclosed in which, upon unlatching of the cover and partial raising thereof, the safety catch means Vwill oe in catch position to limit further opening movement of the cover, but such safety catch means will be rendered inellective by a partial reclosing movement of the cover more easily moved aside by the cover for engagement of the cover with the main latch bolt to swing the main latch bolt back to its latching position as the cover is fully closed.

My improved structure and arrangement is fully disclosed on the drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the latching and safety catch structure, a portion of the hood body and the closed cover being shown in longitudinal vertical section;

Figure 2 is an end view of the latching and catch mechanism;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the relative positions of the various parts after the control means within the vehicle has been operated for unlatching and partial raising of the hood cover; and

Figure 4 is a view Asimilar to Fig. 1 showing the arrangement of the parts after a partial downward swing of the cover. l

The hood body I0 has a supporting plate II extending transversely at its forward end, and 4 the cover I2 has a keeper plate I3 extending 'f transversely at its forward end. The latch structure comprises a supporting base or plate I4 of the hood plate II to depend therefrom. The plate II has the passageway or slot I6 therethrough and the keeper plate I3 has the passageway or slot Il therethrough for registration with the passageway I 6 when the cover is closed. The base I 4 has the upward extension I8 proecting through the passageway I6 and supporting a fulcrum stud I9 for the latch bolt 20.

At its lower end the bolt receives a stud 2| extending from the upper end of a link 22 located at the back of the base I4, this link, at its lower end, having a stud 23 extending therefrom through a guide slot 24 in the base I4, the stud being engaged by a spring 25v anchored on the plate I4, which spring exerts upward pressure against the link longitudinally thereof.

The stud 2l extends through the arcuate slot 26 in the base I4 which is concentric with the fulcrum stud I9 so that when the latch bolt is vnioved from latching or unlatching position the stud will travel 'in the slot. The neutral or center line of pressure of the spring 25 against the link 22 extends through the fulcrum I9 and the lower stud 23 of the link, so that, after the stud 2| at the upper end of the link is moved past this line, the spring pressure will rapidly complete such movement of the stud in the slot and consequently complete the movement of the latch bolt to its latching or unlatching position.

The latch bolt has a latching arm 2'! which, when the cover is closed as shown onjFig, 1, is

held by the pressure of the spring 25 against the.

top of the keeper plate I3 to hold the cover iirmly closed. Below the latching arm 21 the latch bolt has the raising arm 28 which, when the latch bolt is swung to unlatching position, will engage with the underside of the keeper plate I3 for a partial raising of the cover, a's shown on Fig. 3. Receiving the stud-2| in front of the latch bolt is the downwardly extending detent member 29 having the outer arm 30 and the inner arm 3|.

Between these arms4 the detent element is de? ected to provide a detent tooth 33 for cooperation with the detent teeth 34 formed along the 'edge of a portion 35 deflected out of the base I4,

swing thereof to unlatching position. A hairpin spring 36 is anchored on the stud 2|, its one end 31 engaging the arm 30 of the detent member 29 and tending to hold the detent member in its locking position when the latch bolt is in latching position.

The detent member 29 has another tooth or abutment 38 extending at substantially right angles with the detent tooth 33, these two teeth being deected toward the base |4 to engage with their ends against the base as the detent member is operated; When the detent member is swung toward the right (Fig. 1) the tooth 33 will be disengaged from the detent teeth 34 so as to unlock the latch bolt for swing to unlatching position, and then, upon continued swing of the detent member, the abutment tooth 38 will engage with the under edge'of the latch bolt and the latch bolt will be positively swung towards its unlatching position until the stud 2| passes through the center line of spring pressure, whereafter the spring pressure will quickly snap the latch bolt to its unlatching position, as shown on Fig. 3. For swinging the detent member 29, the wire 39 extends from the end of the detent arm 38 to a bar 40 slidable in a sleeve 4I secured preferably to the instrument board of the vehicle, the end of the bar having a knob 42 thereon. When this knob is pulled out, the detent'member will be operated for unlocking of the latch bolt, and swingingof the latch bolt toward its unlatching position.

At its inner end the base I4 has a portion defiected forwardlyv therefrom to provide an abutment ledge 43 in the path of the end of the inner arm 3| of the detent member 29. When this detent member is swung upwardly by pull on the knob 42 into engagement with the latch bolt, and the latch bolt is swung toward unlatching position, the end of the arm will travel above the ledge 43, and when the knob 42 is released, the spring end 31 will swing the detent member down until the end of the arm 3| engages the ledge 43, as shown on Fig. 3. 'I'he cover is now fully unlatched and held in partially opened position by the raising arm 28 of the latch bolt.

A safety catch element in the form of an arm 4 4 extends upwardly along the front side of the latch bolt 28 and at its lower end is fulcrumed on the stud I9. At its rear edge this safety catch arm has a stop whose rear end engages vagainst the inner side of the latch bolt between the latch bolt arms 21 and 28, and whose front end is engaged by the end 31 -of the spring 36, the spring pressure tending to hold this safety catch arm in its forward position with the stop 45 against the latch bolt so that the arm 44 will tend to follow the movement of the latch bolt.

'I'he-safety catch arm has the hook end 46 for `receiving in its mouth 41 the .keeper tongue 48 which may be deflected out of the keeper plate I3. When the main latch bolt is rocked to latching position, the safety catch arm will be carried therewith to its ineffective position, as shown on Fig. 1. When the latch bolt is moved to unlatching position for partial raising of the cover, the safety catch arm 44 will swing forwardly with the bolt to bring its hook end above the keeper tongue 48 so as to safety catch the cover against further opening movement, as shown on Fig. 3. Before the cover can be further raised, it must first be swung a short distance downwardly for engagement of the keeper plate I3 with the raising arm 28 of the latch bolt. Referring to Fig. 4, such downward movement of thecover will swing the latch bolt 20 in latching direction, and during such movement of the bolt the end of the arm 3| of the detent member 29 will be withdrawn from the ledge 43. Upon such release of the detent member, the spring end 31 will swing it down for engagement of its teeth or abutments 33 and 38 with a stop 49 on the base I4, which stop may be formed by defiecting forwardly a portion of the base. Such engagement of the detent member with the stop occurs just after the downward pressure on the cover has caused the stud 2| to pass a short distance beyond the center line of pressure of the spring 25, and this spring pressure will tend to continue. rocking. of the latch bolt to its latching position which movement is prevented by the stop 49. This stoppage of the latch bolt also' stops further downward movement of the cover, but after such downward movement of the cover, the safety catch arm 44 will have vbeen moved with the latch bolt to withdraw its hook end fromabove the path of the keeper tonuge 48, as shown on Fig.` 4. As the entirely released cover is now raised toward its full open position, the edge of the keeper plate I3 at the inner end of the passage I1 will encounter the cam arm 50 on the latch bolt above its latching arm 21, and the latch bolt with the safety catch arm 44 thereon will be swung forwardly. However, before such forward swing starts, the end of the keeper tongue 48 will be in front of the hook end 46 and by the time the latch bolt and safety catch arm are swung fully forwardly, the keeper tongue 48 will be l above the end of the safety catch arm.

Engagement of the keeper plate I3 with the cam arm 50 of the latch bolt when the cover is being raised will rock the latch bolt toward unlatching direction until the stud 2| passes to the right of the center line of pressure from the spring 25 (Fig. 4) and then this spring pressure will quickly rock the latch bolt to its unlatching position and with the safety catch arm 44 moved therewith to its catch position as shown on Fig. 3. As the stud 2| is moved past the spring pressure center line, the detent member 29 will be moved rearwardly from the position shown on Fig. 4 to release its abutments 33 and 38 from the stop 49 so that the spring end 31 may swing the detent member down with its tooth 33 against the inner beveled end of the detent wall 35, the arm 3| remaining below the ledge 43 during such movement of the detent member.

When the opened cove!` is now swung down for closing of the hood, the keeper tongue 48 will engage with the inclined upper edge of the hook end 46 on the safety catch arm 44 and this arm may be readily cammed rearwardly out of the way Aagainst the comparatively light resistance of the spring end 31', and after passage of the keeper tongue past the hook end, the spring will swing the safety catch arm forwardly back to its effective or catch position shown on Fig. 3. At substantially the same time, the keeper plate I3 will engage with the raising arm 28 ofthe latch bolt 20, the downward pressure of the cover then rocking the latch bolt towards yits latching position, for completion of such movement by the cross over spring pressure, the latching arm 21 of the bolt being finally brought into engagement with the top of the keeper plate I3, the spring pressure then holding the latch ybolt in its latching position for secure closing of the cover against rattling. As the latch bolt is thus returned to its latching position, the detent member 29 will be drawn forwardly with the latch bolt along the detent wall 35 for engagement of its detent tooth 33 with one of the detent teeth 34 so as to lock the latch bolt in its latching position. Such return of the detent member to its locking position also causes the control knob 42 in the vehicle body to be pulled back to its normal position.

By having the safety catch member M mov,-

able relative to the latchbolt and held in its oper-- ative or catch position by a comparatively weak spring, a comparatively iight downward pressure on the cover will suffice to swing the safety catch member out of the way for full closing of the cover. Thus, if the cover should be swung down with the keeper member, I3 against the raising arm 2t of the latch bolt, but the attendant neglects to finally close the cover, the safety catch element will be in catch position relative to the keeper tongue dii and the cover will be latched against full opening, and before the cover can again be released for full opening it must be `closed far enough for sufficient rocking 4of the latch boltfor swing of the safety catch arm .to ineffective position.

I haveshown a practical and emcient embodiment of the features of my invention, but I do not desire to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement and operation -as shown 'and described, as changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim as follows: y

l.. hatching assembly for an automobile hood comprising keeper structure on the hood cover, a latch bolt within and supported by said hood body, a safety catch arm on said latch bolt, said latch bolt being normally in position for engagement with said keeper structure to hold the hood cover closed-andwith said safety catch arm in inoperative position, means for effecting movement of said latch bolt to a full unlatchlng position and partial raising thereby of said cover and coincidental movement of said safety catch arm to operative position relative to said keeper structure to limit further opening movement. of the cover, means rendered effective 'by a partial closing movement of said cover after partial opening thereof for effecting setting and holding of said latch bolt in an intermediate unlatching position and with said safety catch arm set to release said cover for further opening movement thereof, and means whereby said keeper structure is cooperable with said latch bolt upon such further opening movement of the cover to cause said latch bolt to be restored to its full unlatching position and with said safety catch arm in effective position after such further opening of the cover.

2.y Latching assembly for an automobile hood comprising keeper structure on the hood cover, a'latch bolt within and supported by the hood body, a safety catch arm on said latch bolt, said latch bolt being normally in position for `engage-- ment with said keeper structure to hold the hood cover closed and with said safety catch arm in ineffective position, means for effecting movement of said latch bolt to a full unlatching position and partial raising thereby of said cover and setting of said safety catch arm to effective position relative to said ireeper structure to limit furan intermediate unlatching position and with said safety catch arm set to release said cover for further opening movement thereof, said keeper structure upon further opening movement of the cover being first movable beyond the range of said safety catch member, and means whereby said keeper structure will then engage with said latch bolt to cause return of said latch bolt to its full unlatching position and movement of said safety catch member back to effective position.

3. Latching assembly for an automobile hood comprising keeper structure on the hood cover, a latch bolt within and supported by the hood body, a safety catch arm on said latch bolt, said latch bolt being normally in position for engagement with said keeper structure to hold the hood 4 cover closed and With said safety catch arm in ineffective position, means for effective movement of said latch bolt to a full unlatching position and partial raising thereby of sai-d cover and setting of said safety catch arm to effective position relative to said keeper structure to limit further opening movement of the cover, means rendered effective by a partial closing movement of said cover after partial opening thereof for causing setting and holding of said latch bolt in an intermediate unlatching position and with said safety catch arm set to release said cover forfull opening movement thereof, said keeper structure upon full opening movement of the cover being rst movable `beyond the range of said safety catch member and then cooperating with ther opening movement of the cover, means rendered effective by a partial closing movement of said cover-,after partial opening thereof for said latch bolt to cause return of said latch bolt to its full unlatching lposition and `.movement of said safety catch member back to effective position, said safety catch member being movable on said latch bolt, spring means tending to hold said safety catch member in -a normal position on said latch bolt to follow the movements there-- of, and means adording cam engagement of said keeper structure with said safety catch member when said cover is moved back from full open position to its partially opened position whereby said safety catch member will be moved against said spring from its normal Iposition and then returned by the spring to its normal position to prevent reopening movement of the cover after suA h return of the cover to its partially opene position.

' 4. Latching assembly for an automobile hood comprising a latch bolt within the hood normally hoi-ding the'hood cover closed, means controlled from outside of said hood for effecting movement of said latch bolt to unlatch the cover and effect apartial opening thereof, a safety catch element movable with said latch bolt to be held thereby in inedective position when the latch bolt is in latching' position and in cover catchingV position when said latch bolt is moved to unlatching powsition, means 'whereby upon partial closing movem ment of said cover after partial opening thereof .mid latch bolt will be moved in latching direc tion to an intermediate unlatching position for setting of said safety catch member to ineffective position so that the cover may be fully opened, means lforholding said latch bolt in such intermediate position, and means whereby upon such full opening movement of the cover said cover iviii engage with .said latch bolt and more it back to full unlatching position with said vsafety catch member in catching position.

d. hatching assembly for an automobile comprising iteeper atmeture on. the hood cover, a latchbolt within and supported by the hood c 'ausing setting and holding of said latch bolt in body, a safety catch member carried by and movable on said latch bolt, spring means tending to hold said safety catch member in a normal -position' on said latch bolt, means controlled from outside of said hood for causing said latch bolt to unlatch and partially open the'hood cover and .to carry said safety catch member into e1'- fective position relative to the keeper structurev for preventing further opening movement of the cover, said cover when moved a distance in closing direction after partial opening thereof effecting a return movement of said latch bolt in latching direction sufcient for the latch bolt to carry said safety catch member therewith into an ineffective position relative to the keeper structure so that the cover is released for full opening, locking means for locking said latch -bolt in such partially returned position, means on said latch bolt engageable by said cover when moved to full open position for effecting unlocking of said latch bolt and return thereof with said safety catch member from said partially returned position back to its unlatching position to reset said safety catch member to effective catch position, and means aifording cam engagement between saidl keeper structure and said safety catch member when said cover is moved from full open position back to its partially opened position whereby said safety catch member is 'moved against said spring means from its ,normal position and then returned by said spring means to its normal position to prevent reopening movement ofl said cover after such return thereof to its partially opened position.

6. Latching assembly 4for an automobile hood comprising keeper structure on the hood cover, a latch bolt on the hood body, asafetycatch member movably mounted on said latch bolt, springmeans tending to hold said safety catch member in a normal position on said latch boit, said latch bolt being normally in latching position to hold the cover closed and said safety catch member being normally in ineffective position relative to said keeper structure, a detent element movable on said latch bolt, means controllable from outside of said hood for moving said detent member to a first position during. which movement in ineffective position so that said cover is free for full opening movement, said detent element being released Afrom said first position upon movement of said latch bolt in latching direction, stop means engageable by said detent element to limit such movement of the latch .bolt back in latching direction, means on said latch bolt engageable by said cover when said cover is moved toward full opening position `after partial movement thereof in closing direction for causing return of said latch bolt to its unlatching position and resetting of said safety catch member to effective position, means eiective during such return of the latch bolt to unlatching position to release said detent fromsaid stop means, and means affording cam engagement ybetween said keeper structure and said safety catch member when said cover is moved fromv full open position to its partially opened position whereby said safety catch member is moved against said spring means from its normal position and then returned by' said spring means to its normal position to prevent reopening movement of said cover after such return thereof to its partially opened position, said cover being then engageable lwith said latch bolt for movement thereof back to latching position and setting of said safety catch member to ineffective position as said cover is fully closed.

EDWARD Di DALL. 

